Northern Michigan is luminous and tranquil when covered in a fresh blanket of snow. The breathtaking vistas, charming destinations, and special events continue, enhanced by smaller crowds than one might find in a city. Several festive celebrations are planned across the region to welcome 2020.
All Michiganders know the familiar signs of nature’s presence in autumn: bountiful harvests, cooler temperatures, and brilliant fall foliage. Natives of Traverse City are privy to another unusual and entertaining harbinger of the season: the salmon run at the Boardman River Fish Weir.
Motorsports events and music festivals are ever-popular summer destinations. Those who have an affinity for both will enjoy an amped-up adventure in South Haven at GRIDLIFE Midwest, May 30 – June 2. Billed as a “grassroots automotive experience,” this one-of-a-kind event celebrates all aspects of motorsports and music.
Motor City Comic Con is turning 30 and planning the most impressive convention in its history, May 17-19. An expansive list of celebrities and more than 60,000 devotees are expected to pack the 180,000-square-foot Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi.
Though unimposing when viewed from the shore at Au Gres, to the west, or from Caseville, on Michigan’s “thumb,” Charity Island is a federally designated natural treasure. It is home to a historic lighthouse and an important enclave for migratory birds and rare plants.
A peaceful garden retreat lies just 35 miles southwest of Traverse City: The Betsie River Centennial Lily Farm. A loveliness permeates the 76-acre property, both amid the rows of colorful daylilies and in the persona of its colorful caretakers.
Like tomatoes in the summertime, Northern Michigan is bursting with farmers markets!
Downtown Manistee, which is a national and state Historic District, presents its annual Victorian Sleighbell Parade and Old Christmas Weekend December 6-9.
Part of an island chain that extends north to the Straits of Mackinac, North and South Manitou Islands are located in the sparkling waters of Lake Michigan near Leland, and are accessible only by private watercraft or by the Manitou Island Transit Ferry.
In the Grand Traverse area, two old-style ranches -- Ranch Rudolf and Wolf Lake Ranch -- are great destinations for escaping the hustle and bustle of our daily routines.
